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Understanding Employee Grievances

This document discusses employee grievances and discipline. It defines grievances as dissatisfaction that arises from unfair treatment at work. Grievances can be factual, imaginary, or disguised. The major causes of grievances include interpersonal differences, management practices, union practices, and personality or organizational culture issues. Grievances should be handled promptly through open door policies, legal compliance, and grievance procedures. The document also defines employee discipline as procedures that correct or punish employees for violating rules. Common disciplinary issues include attendance, dishonesty, and job behavior problems. Managing discipline involves consistent policies, progressive disciplinary actions, and complaint resolution processes.

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Sahadev Shrestha
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84 views4 pages

Understanding Employee Grievances

This document discusses employee grievances and discipline. It defines grievances as dissatisfaction that arises from unfair treatment at work. Grievances can be factual, imaginary, or disguised. The major causes of grievances include interpersonal differences, management practices, union practices, and personality or organizational culture issues. Grievances should be handled promptly through open door policies, legal compliance, and grievance procedures. The document also defines employee discipline as procedures that correct or punish employees for violating rules. Common disciplinary issues include attendance, dishonesty, and job behavior problems. Managing discipline involves consistent policies, progressive disciplinary actions, and complaint resolution processes.

Uploaded by

Sahadev Shrestha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Unit 8

Employee Grievances and Disciplines


Employee’s grievances: concept and handling grievances, employee discipline: concept, causes, and
process of managing discipline

Concept of Employee’s grievances


Employee grievances are the dissatisfaction which arise from the unfair treatment on the job. It is
caused when they are not satisfied with their organization. It is the gap between what they expect from
their company and what they receive. In other words they results from differences in employee
expectation and managerial practices relating to condition of employment. When employee complaints
or discontent is presented in front of management it becomes a grievance. The dissatisfaction may be
due to inadequate pay, unfair distribution of incentives, wore working conditions, or other job related
factors. However the major issues associated with employee grievance are pay and benefits, Workload,
working condition, union and management relation. Employee grievances may or may not be justified.
This may result in lower performance of employee. Therefore, management need to address and tackles
such types of grievances immediately.

According to Dale Yoder“Grievances is a written complaint filed by an employee claiming unfair


treatment”. Similarly in the words of Keith Davis “Grievance is a formal complaint filed by an employee
following an established grievance procedure”.
“The term grievances would include any discontent and dissatisfaction that affect organizational
performance. It can either be stated, or unvoiced, written or oral, legitimate or ridiculous”. Fillpo

“A grievance is any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with ones employment situation
that is brought to the attention of management”. Dales S. Beach
Grievances can be of three types:
1. Factual: Such grievances are the fact or actual grievances. Such grievances arise when the
service condition are not fulfilled and when the human resource policies are not implemented
properly.
2. Imaginary: Such grievances are based on the expectation of the employee. Such grievances arise
when the expectation of employee is higher or unfulfilled than they expect form their
management.
3. Disguised: Such grievances arises from the hidden reason which the management ignore.
4. Other grievances types:
 Individual grievances: They are the complaints filed by an individual employee.
 Policy grievances: It includes the grievances from several department within the bargaining
unit structure.
 Group grievances: When two or more employee file the complaint it is the group
grievances.
Consequences of grievances
 Low motivation, encouragement and morale and hence how productivity.
 Increased Absenteeism and late arrival for work.
 Decrease or deteriorate quality of work
 Disobey manager or supervisor order
 Indiscipline
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 Lack of mutual cooperation
 Worry, tension and moodiness in employees
 Unhealthy labor management relation
 Negative attitude of employee towards organization

Causes of employee grievances


1. Interpersonal differences:
Employee are given the contract paper describing the term and condition of work, authority and
responsibility. These terms and condition are understood differently by the employee and
management. In some cases the collective bargaining condition are violated by the management
which ultimately results in the grievances.
2. Management practices:
The practices and policy of management may result in the unfair treatment of their employees. Such
practices or policy may be favorable to the management but unfavorable to the employee. Such
malfunction of management are
 Autocratic leader style of top level management or manager
 Overtime
 Leave
 Hostility toward the labour union
 Lack of matching the labor skills and nature of job
 Sonority, discharge and promotion
 Lack of career planning and employee development
3. Labor union practices :
 Forced membership in union
 Political shelter and motivation
 Encourage by union to employee to express their complaint or report
4. Personality traits or factors: It includes
 Over ambition
 Creation of mental tension
 Cheating or faulty feeling
 Lack of respect to each other
5. Organizational culture:
 Poor coordination
 Lack of discipline
 Misunderstanding among employee
6. Working condition: The working condition includes
 Good and protective working condition
 Lack of tool, machines and equipment
 Lack of proper relation of worker with their supervisor
 No Safety devices
Handling grievances
To search the employee grievance and find out the solution is a complicated and difficult task. It
require both effort, time and cost. However grievances can result in less productivity since they
creates the dissatisfaction or frustration for their job. Thus, the grievances should be solved as
soon as possible. There should be proper coordination and communication between the
worker, supervisor and top level management. Some of the methods to handle the grievances
are presented below.
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1. Open door policy
In this policy the organization open the door to employee to talk with the top level management at any
time regarding their grievances. They can discuss and express their complaint or grievances to the
related authority. The discussion between the employee and the management reach to the solution for
resolving the grievances. Some of the organization conduct the counseling procedure. They try to
understand the actual reason and problems of their employee grievances. Finally they come up with the
solution.
2. Legal compliance:
If the problems of grievances are not solved simply by open door policy then the legal procedure are
carried out. The provision to solve such grievances are descried already in the contact. It strictly follows
the contract with union and employees. It is the legalistic view of handling the grievances.
3. Grievance procedure
It includes the process in which the grievances are expressed to the supervisor. If the grievances are not
solved through it then the grievances are presented to the departmental head. Later it is further passed
to the grievance committee and finally the CEO are asked to take the decision regarding the grievance
handling. If the employee are not satisfied with the decision of the CEO an arbitrator can be appointed
with the mutual understanding of the employee and employers. Finally the employee can go to appeal
to labor court if the arbitrator cannot handle the case.
4. Periodic employee meeting
To address the grievances issues the constant meeting amongst the employee and management can be
carried out.

Employee Discipline
Concept of Employee discipline: concept
“It is the procedure that corrects or punishes a subordinate because a rule or procedure has been
violated”. Gary Dessler
“It is the condition in the organization when employee conduct themselves in accordance with the
organization rules and standards.” Decenzo and Robbins
Importance
 It help to make the working smooth
 It increases the productivity.
 It ensure the safety
 It improve efficiency
 Provides the security to the employees
 Promotes the suitable behavior
 Eliminate the unproductive labor

Types of disciplinary problems (Causes)


1. Attendance problems
The attendance problems consist of absenteeism in the office, abuse of sick leave, tardiness, late arriving
in office and leaving without the permission etc.
2. Dishonesty problems
The stealing, cheating, falsification of information, corruption, fraud, bribery, misuse resource etc.
3. Job behavior problems
It includes the carelessness, fighting, gambling, dishonesty, refusal to obey order, abuse of alcohol etc.
4. Outside activities problems

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They are the authorized strikes, wage garnishing, criminal activities decoration, working for competitor,
leaking internal information.

Managing the disciplines


By developing the discipline or organizational policy
Consistency in discipline actions
Progressive disciplinary action
Confidentially of complaints
Fairness legal perspectives
Complain redress system

Process of managing discipline


1. Verbal reprimand (warning)
2. Written reprimand
3. Disciplinary suspension
4. Financial penalty
5. Demotion
6. Dismissal

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Common questions

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Disguised grievances pose challenges as their underlying causes are often hidden, requiring management to decipher psychological or intangible issues that employees may not express openly. Effective mitigation includes fostering a transparent communication culture where employees feel safe to discuss issues, utilizing counseling sessions to explore hidden concerns, and regularly monitoring workplace behavior and satisfaction levels. Training management to recognize subtle cues of discontent and encouraging anonymous feedback can also help surface such grievances .

Effective grievance handling processes play a crucial role in maintaining employee satisfaction and workplace harmony by ensuring grievances are addressed promptly and fairly. Open communication channels, like the open door policy, allow employees to express grievances directly to management, fostering trust and transparency. A structured grievance procedure ensures that grievances are escalated and resolved systematically, reducing misunderstandings and workplace tension. Regular periodic meetings between employees and management can preempt issues, leading to a cohesive work environment and maintained harmony .

A legal compliance framework is important for handling employee grievances as it ensures the fair and consistent application of negotiated terms, reducing disputes and potential litigation. Legal frameworks guide the resolution process through set procedures, like contract adherence, thereby fostering objective grievance outcomes. It provides a structured pathway for unresolved grievances through channels such as arbitration and labor court appeals, ensuring due process and organizational accountability .

Open-door policies are effective in creating an open communication culture, allowing immediate discussion between employees and management, fostering trust and prompt resolving of grievances. However, they may lack the comprehensive documentation and structured approach of formal grievance procedures, which provide systematic escalation paths and impartial resolution through committees and potentially legal frameworks. Combining both methods ensures acute resolution and broader organizational insights into systemic issues, aligning employee satisfaction with organizational practices .

Poor management practices can exacerbate employee grievances by introducing unfair treatment and creating a hostile work environment. Autocratic leadership styles and favoritism can lead to dissatisfaction. Unfavorable management decisions like inadequate overtime, leave policies, and a lack of career planning contribute to grievances. Hostility towards labor unions and failure to match skills with job requirements further deepen employee discontent, resulting in grievances that affect morale and productivity .

Unaddressed employee grievances can significantly impact organizational performance by leading to low motivation, decreased morale, and poor productivity. Employees may exhibit increased absenteeism, lower work quality, and may disobey managerial orders leading to indiscipline. These consequences worsen labor-management relations and cultivate a negative attitude towards the organization, affecting overall performance and harmony .

A progressive disciplinary action framework is important as it provides clear, step-by-step processes for correcting employee behavior, ensuring actions are proportional and fair, and preventing arbitrary penalties. It influences employee behavior by clarifying consequences, encouraging adherence to rules, and reducing unfair treatment perceptions. This framework promotes accountability, enhances fairness within the organizational culture, and thus improves morale and discipline, leading to enhanced productivity and workplace harmony .

Employee grievances often stem from fundamental organizational issues such as interpersonal differences, unfavorable management practices, and labor union activities. Poorly defined contractual terms and management's autocratic practices cause grievances. Forced union membership and inadequate matching of skills with job requirements indicate deeper systemic issues. These causes reflect a lack of proper communication, transparency, and fairness within the organization, pointing to weaknesses in workplace culture and policy implementation .

Employee grievances can be categorized into three main types: factual, imaginary, and disguised. Factual grievances arise from unmet service conditions or improperly implemented policies. Imaginary grievances stem from unmet employee expectations, often due to unrealistic perceptions. Disguised grievances have hidden reasons, often overlooked by management. Grievances can further be categorized based on their nature: individual grievances pertain to a single employee's complaint, group grievances involve multiple employees, and policy grievances involve broader organizational policies affecting multiple departments .

Employee discipline is closely linked to productivity, as a disciplined workforce aligns with organizational rules, enhancing operational efficiency. Factors influencing this dynamic include consistency in discipline enforcement, the fairness of disciplinary actions, and the support of a structured disciplinary process. Appropriate management of attendance, dishonesty, and behavioral issues ensures a focused and committed workforce. Proper discipline enforcement safeguards safety, promotes positive behavior, aids efficiency and security, thus boosting productivity .

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